2021 Topps Chrome Black | Box Break and Review

After opening a box of 2021 Topps Chrome Black Baseball, it appears Topps has saved its best design for this late-season release. The black matte finish gives these cards a sleek look and feel that is markedly different from Topps' traditional releases. The deep black background isolates the players and cuts out much of the noise that comes with other Topps issues. With just four cards in each box, one is left with the feeling of wanting more cards from the base set before getting to the encased autographed card. 

2021 Topps Chrome Black Baseball Base Set and Checklist

The 100-card base set checklist is awash with rookies including Alec Bohm, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Joey Bart. Each card is also minted in Topps' standard parallel rainbow (Refractor #/199, Purple #/150, Green #/99, Green Atomic #/99, Blue #/75, Gold #/50, Orange #/25, Magenta #/10, Red #/5, Superfractor 1/1), giving collectors even more opportunities to chase down their favorite players from this set. 

2021 Topps Chrome Black Fernando Tatis Jr. / Topps

2021 Topps Chrome Black Baseball Autographs

The encased autographs, which come one per box, feature a mix of past, present and future stars. The signer list includes Hall of Famers Derek Jeter, Johnny Bench and Reggie Jackson, as well as Mike Trout, Luis Robert and all of the rookies included in the base set. These autographs also have serial-numbered parallels (Refractor #/150, Green #/99, Gold #/50, Orange #/25, Red #/5, Superfractor 1/1) that add excitement to the chase in each box. 

Topps sweetens the deal by adding a highly curated 21-player Super Futures autograph set that is numbered to 99 or less of top rookies and young stars such as Randy Arozarena, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto. 

2021 Topps Chrome Black Baseball Box Break

Watch our box break video below of 2021 Topps Chrome Black Baseball to see which autograph we pulled, as well as to get an up close look at the tremendous design that we think make this set one of Topps' best this year.

Read More

2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Baseball Review | Autographs, Checklist, Box Break

Topps returns one of its popular guaranteed hit products with 2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Baseball. The encased acetate cards were a big hit in 2018 when Ronald Acuña Jr. graced the cover. This year’s release leans heavily on the 2019 Topps design, bringing a familiar element for collectors.

2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Baseball / Topps

2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Baseball Checklist

This year’s Clearly Authentic set is filled with over 20 rookie autographs including favorites Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as well as Washington Nationals second year phenom Juan Soto. The base version serial-numbered parallels include: Green #/99, Black #/75, Red #/50, Blue #/25, Purple #/10, Orange #/5, and Gold 1/1.

Collectors with a lucky touch will find a batch of Hall of Famers within its 150 Years of Professional Baseball subset, as well All-Stars Don Mattingly and Darryl Strawberry set in the iconic versions of their 1984 Topps cards. To further bridge Topps’ historical releases, superstars and Hall of Famers are abundant in the attractive 1952 Reimagining and mini T-206 sets.

Click here for the entire 2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Baseball checklist.

2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Box Break and Final Thoughts

The box provided for this review drew a Justus Sheffield red base autograph #/50. The see-through back on the acetate cards gives his signed rookie a distinct display compared to other Topps issues.

2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Justus Sheffield Red Rookie Auto / Topps

With box prices currently hovering around $50, the opportunity to score a uniquely designed Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter, Mike Trout, or Pete Alonso signed card makes 2019 Topps Clearly Authentic  Baseball tough to pass up.

Click here to subscribe to the Examinebaseball YouTube channel.

Read More

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Review | Autographs, Refractors, Paralells, Inserts, Checklist

Fans of Topps releases have eagerly waited for 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball’s release to see this year’s prized rookies decked out in a chromium finish. With 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball offering two autographs per box in a variety of serial-numbered colored parallels, the set is poised to be in demand throughout the season.

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Vladimir Guerrero Jr. / Topps

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Base Set, Parallels, and Checklist

The 204-card set, while designed in the mold of the flagship set, is a condensed version highlighted by the inclusion of Major League Baseball’s four top rookies, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Eloy Jimenez. Collectors will have to pay attention to the image variations, as there are 25 different players with a variation, including top stars such as Mike Trout, Javy Baez, and Christian Yelich. These are indicated with #409 as the last three digits on the back of the card. Click here to view a complete checklist.

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball / Topps

Topps Chrome Baseball exceeds expectations this year with their colored refractor parallels. In the box provided for this review, we hit a Jacob deGrom Orange parallel #/25. The images are sharper and cleaner on the colored parallels, making them a desirable chase for collectors, especially the rookies. A guide is below to identify the different refractors.

REFRACTOR PARALLELS: Base Refractor, Prism, Sepia (Blaster), Pink (Value Pack), Negative, Purple #/299, Blue #/150, Green #/99, Green Wave #/99 (Hobby/Jumbo), Blue Wave #/75 (Hobby/Jumbo), Gold #/50, Gold Wave #/50 (Hobby/Jumbo), Orange #/25 (Hobby), Orange Wave #/25 (Hobby/Jumbo), Red #/5, Red Wave #/5 (Hobby/Jumbo), SuperFractor 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.

2019 Topps Chrome Orange Refractor / Topps

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Inserts

Collectors will enjoy seeing the 1984 Topps designs in a chromium finish as one of the 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball insert sets. The diversely designed Freshman Flash and classic Future Stars insert sets are attractive rewards for fans diving into packs and boxes, while the Greatness Returns series is a solid nod to baseball’s rich historical connections.

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Inserts / Topps

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Autographs

REFRACTOR PARALLELS: Base Refractor #/499, Purple #/250, Blue #/150, Blue Wave #/150, Green #/99 (Retail), Gold #/50, Gold Wave #/50 (Hobby/Jumbo), Orange #/25 (Hobby), Orange Wave #/25 (Hobby/Jumbo), Red #/5, Red Wave #/5 (Hobby/Jumbo), SuperFractor 1/1 (Hobby/Jumbo), Printing Plates 1/1.

The guarantee of two hard-signed baseball cards is a strong selling point of 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball. With a loaded rookie class, this year’s release has sold quickly, as hobby enthusiasts are hoping to land this year’s Rookie of the Year candidates. The box provided for this review yielded a Kevin Kramer base autograph, and a Jeffrey Springs Gold autograph #/50.

2019 Topps Chrome Autographs / Topps

2019 Topps Chrome Baseball Box Break and Final Thoughts

With 2019 Topps Chrome Baseball arriving in the second half of the season, fans and collectors have a clearer view of the 2019 Rookie of the Year contenders. Their Topps Chrome rookies and autographs have been historically amongst the most desired in the hobby. Now that the set is finally on the market, collectors have a release they can places their bets on for some short-term fun and long-term investing.

Read More

2019 Topps Finest Baseball | Checklist, Autographs, Box Break and Review

Topps furthers their attempts to fancy collectors with their release of 2019 Topps Finest Baseball. Minted in a glossy chrome format, 2019 Topps Finest Baseball stands out from the pack with an eye-catching design and tight checklist that sharpens the focus for the cardboard obsessed.

20919 Topps Finest Baseball / Topps

2019 Topps Finest Base Set and Checklist

The 101-card base set features an assortment of active stars and rookies, including 2019 Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, and a tougher to find Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in card 101. In addition to each card having a basic parallel refractor, they also carry the usual Topps serial-numbered rainbow (Purple (/250), Blue (/150), Green (/99), Gold (/50), Orange (/25), Red (/5), and Superfractors (1/1).)

2019 Topps Finest Base Set / Topps

While a few boxes can complete the base set, Topps upped the ante for the 25-card short-printed set (cards 101-125) by limiting them to 1:30 packs. Note that two cards share #101, Guerrero Jr. and Yusei Kikuchi. The former is part of the base set, while the latter is part of the short prints. These short prints have ultra-rare refractors—Gold Refractors (/50 - 1:350 packs), Red Refractors – (/5 - 1:3,462 packs), and Superfractors – (1/1 - 1:16,756 packs).

Click here to download the complete 2019 Topps Finest Baseball checklist.

2019 Topps Finest Aaron Nola Blue Refractor / Topps

2019 Topps Finest Inserts

Keeping with the narrow theme of the base set, Topps goes for simplicity with 2019 Topps Finest Baseball’s inserts. There are four insert sets: Blue Chips, Finest Firsts, Prized Performers, and a 10-card die cut set as a tribute to Mariano Rivera. These insert sets also have serial numbered refractors, as well as autographed versions.

2019 Topps Finest Baseball Inserts / Topps

2019 Topps Finest Autographs

This is where 2019 Topps Finest Baseball shines. The on-card autographs in this set help to separate this Topps issue from the myriad of sticker autographs on the market. With collectors growing even more refined in their collecting habits, the on-card signatures in this product when combined with the enhanced design help to give 2019 Topps Finest Baseball a proper niche in the hobby.

The two-mini boxes each yielded one autograph. The first autograph was a base Finest signature from San Francisco Giants rookie Chris Shaw.

2019 Topps Finest Chris Shaw Autograph / Topps

The other was a much rarer Gold Finest Origins autograph from the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year, Ronald Acuña Jr. This card was serial-numbered to 50, with the odds being 1:779 packs of landing one of these difficult hits.

2019 Topps Finest Ronald Acuña Jr. Finest Origins Gold Auto / Topps

2019 Topps Finest Box Break and Final Thoughts

With 12-pack master boxes checking in at $120, Topps has placed a premium on quality and performance with 2019 Topps Finest Baseball. With an appealing design, on-card autographs, and cards of both potential Rookie of the Year candidates, the baseball card giant is making sure that collectors take notice of 2019 Topps Finest Baseball.

Read More

2019 Bowman Baseball | Checklist, Autographs, Chrome Prospects, Review, and Box Break

Wander Franco. His 2019 Bowman baseball card has quickly become the face of this year’s product, with the 18-year-old Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect dominating the collecting realms of social media. As his chrome autographs and serial numbered parallels continue to pop up in collector’s feeds, 2019 Bowman Baseball has taken flight largely on the back of this prized phenom.

2019 Bowman Baseball Base Set, Prospect, and Chrome Checklist

The 2019 Bowman Baseball base set is limited to 100 cards. The base set consists mostly of established stars and veterans with a few choice rookies mixed in. The box provided for this review yielded a complete base set. Set collectors who are looking for a challenge, card there is a Bryce Harper SP variation for card number three (Joey Wendle).

2019 Bowman Wander Franco Chrome and Base Prospects / Topps

Both the prospect and chrome sets contain 150 cards each, highlighted by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Joey Bart, and the aforementioned Franco. Demand for these chrome rookies have been high, especially for the lower numbered Green (/99), Gold (/50), Orange Border (/25), Red Border (/5), and Platinum (1/1) parallels.

2019 Bowman Parallels / Topps

Click here for the complete 2019 Bowman Baseball checklist.

2019 Bowman Inserts

Bowman honors the 30th anniversary of their 1989 landmark set with stars and prospects molded in its classic design, this time fit to standard size proportions with a glossy finish. Collectors will also find familiarity a few of the insert sets that make a return in 2019 —Bowman Scouts Top 100, Talent Pipeline, and Rookie of the Year Favorites.

2019 Bowman Inserts / Topps

Collectors will enjoy the horizontally oriented Ready for the Show inserts, which feature 20 of the top MLB-ready prospects. This set comes in a myriad of serial numbered parallels, further increasing their desirability with collectors.

2019 Bowman Inserts / Topps

2019 Bowman Autographs

The prized possession for those going deep with 2019 Bowman Baseball are the Chrome Prospect Autographs. Collectors anticipate 2019 Bowman’s release; eagerly waiting for the opportunity to secure the debut autograph of the next player they think will make a profound mark on the game. The limited edition serial numbered colored autograph parallels are sure to keep fans coming back to this product as different prospects take off throughout the season.

Other autograph cards include signed versions of the Scouts Top 100, Rookie of the Year Favorites, and Sterling insert sets. The box provided for this review contained a Ryan McKenna autographed Atomic Refractor Chrome Prospect card #/100.

2019 Bowman Chrome Prospects Atomic Refractor Ryan McKenna Autograph / Topps

2019 Bowman Box Break Video and Final Take

Collectors will keep coming back 2019 Bowman Baseball to this set to find players they either overlooked, or want to ride to the top as the baseball season goes deep into the summer. Whether it is Wander Franco, Joey Bart, or a less heralded prospect that emerges as the king from this set, 2019 Bowman Baseball reminds us that infinite hope that new prospects provide drives the engines of baseball fans throughout a long season.

Read More

2018 Topps Heritage Minor League Baseball Review - Why 2018 Topps Heritage Minors is right on time for the offseason

Now that the MLB postseason is finished and hot stove discussions are in full swing, fans are looking towards the top prospects honing their skills in the Arizona Fall League and the various winter leagues throughout the Caribbean for their baseball fix. Topps has saved their classy 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League Baseball set to coincide with baseball’s fall shift from now to next.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors / Topps

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Base Set and Parallels

Set in the design of its 2018 Topps Major League Heritage counterpart, 2018 Topps Heritage Minor League provides tomorrow’s stars with the big league stage that they have been waiting for. The 220-card base set features 20 short-prints, as well All-Star and League Leaders subsets.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors / Topps

Topps hits all of the major talents in the MLB pipeline in the base set, featuring the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Eloy Jimenez, Royce Lewis, Estevan Florial, and yes, even Tim Tebow. For those looking to corner the market on their favorite up-and-comer, colored serial numbered parallels run aplenty, and a new twist for 2018 Topps Heritage Minors is the inclusion of one three-card glossy card pack per box.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Parallels / Topps

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Inserts

The inserts are where 2018 Topps Heritage Minors starts to percolate. The 1969 Deckle Edge inserts cast the prime performers in vintage black and white shots, and limited edition color parallels even further spice up the design. The 1969 Collectors Cards inserts capture the quick and dirty about the next 20 minor league stars that you need to follow. Each box also contains two chances to win a one-day contract with the Richmond Flying Squirrels that includes your own Topps Pro Debut baseball card.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Inserts / Topps

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Autographs and Relics

Each box guarantees one relic card and one autographed card. The Real One autographs are the most common, and as with the base set, there are colored serial numbered parallels of each. Collectors with a luckier hand can score signed base image variations numbered to 50, autographed deckle edge inserts, and signed 1969 Mint Coin relics.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Brendan McKay Autograph / Topps

The box Topps provided for this review uncovered a Brendan McKay Real One autograph, and a Justus Sheffield Clubhouse Collection relic. McKay, the Tampa Bay Rays 2017 first-round selection, is following Shohei Ohtani’s footsteps as a two-way threat on the mound and at the plate.

2018 Topps Heritage Minors Justus Sheffield Relic / Topps

This year’s Topps Heritage Minors is an enjoyable break due to the exciting future stars, the sleek insert sets, and the guarantee of both an autograph and a relic from next season’s coveted prospects. With boxes of 2018 Topps Heritage Minors under $50, now is a great time to get familiar with the next wave of MLB talent.

Read More

2016 Bowman Chrome gives a fresh look at a September baseball card release

September is one of the most exciting times in the baseball season, as contenders furiously battle for a spot in the playoffs, while second-division teams get a chance to show off their top prospects as rosters expand. Both breathe life into every game of the final season of the month, giving each team the opportunity to write their own final narrative. The release of the 2016 Bowman Chrome baseball card series only adds to the drama of fall baseball, offering collectors the opportunity to chase the prospects that are on the verge of stardom while getting a fresh look at the current stars of the game.

2016 Bowman Chrome / Bowman

Bowman highlights two rising young players on the cover of the 2016 Chrome product, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and Michael Conforto of the New York Mets. The latter is contributing to the Mets playoff run, while the former had a torrid start to his first minor league season that finished before his 18th birthday. This year’s product came in the form of two mini boxes, each guaranteeing two autographs as part of the 60 cards contained therein.

Unlike its Topps Chrome sister set, Bowman Chrome adds new photos to the players featured in the 2016 Bowman set, while revamping the 100-card condensed base set checklist. A host of new minor leaguers populate the prospects in the set, giving Bowman Chrome a fresh appeal to those who purchased Bowman earlier this year.

2016 Bowman Chrome Kris Bryant Base Card / Bowman

Some fresh eye-catching inserts highlighting the Arizona Fall League All-Stars and an update to the Bowman Scouts Top 100 series allow collectors to find something new to enjoy in this late season release. The box provided for this review yielded one base Chrome Prospect autograph, as well as a green refractor autograph that was limited to a run of 99 cards.

Trayce Thompson Bowman Chrome Green Refractor Autograph / Bowman

While outside of Guerrero Jr. and Gary Sanchez, there aren’t many hot prospects in the set; however, that shouldn’t stop collectors from giving 2016 Bowman Chrome a look. With today’s frontline players captured in new photos on their patented Chrome stock and the chance to catch a sleeper pick in the mix, 2016 Bowman Chrome fits snugly into the theatrics of late season baseball.

Read More